TOI was the only paper that brought you the exclusive news of how Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut and Chitrangda Singh screen-tested for the seventh instalment in the Vin Diesel franchise Fast & Furious.

Well, it is now being said that Bollywood's reigning diva, Deepika, has bagged the part. She will play a significant character in the pacy thriller that also stars Hollywood tough guys Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson and could hit the marquee next year.

Deepika's paperwork is on and in keeping with Hollywood's professional stance, it is likely to take six months for the contract to be completed. She is currently in Dubai, shooting with Shah Rukh Khan. Neither she nor her domestic spokespersons are allowed to reveal anything to the media about the project.

Interestingly, when scouting for talent in Bollywood, casting agents were reportedly asked for someone slender and statuesque or 'someone like Deepika Padukone'. Following this brief, she was also the first actress to be auditioned.

For the Indian film industry, Deepika's bagging a huge Hollywood franchise is another giant leap to the West. Others before her — Tabu (The Namesake, Life Of Pi); Irrfan (The Namesake, The Amazing Spider-Man, Life Of Pi), Amitabh Bachchan (The Great Gatsby); Anil Kapoor (Slumdog Millionaire, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol), Anupam Kher (Silver Linings Playbook); Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Bride and Prejudice, The Pink Panther 2, The Mistress Of Spices, Provoked); Om Puri (City Of Joy, The Ghost And The Darkness, East Is East); Naseeruddin Shah (The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Great New Wonderful) and Shabana Azmi (Midnight's Children, City Of Joy) — have already made their mark on the world marquee.- TIMES OF INDIA